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Regency Personalities Series-Frederick Howard 5th Earl of Carlisle

Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the many period notables.

Frederick Howard 5th Earl of Carlisle
28 May 1748 – 4 September 1825

Frederick Howard

Frederick Howard 5th Earl of Carlisle was a British diplomat and the son of Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle and his second wife Isabella Byron.

His mother was a daughter of William Byron, 4th Baron Byron and a great-aunt of George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, the poet. In 1798, Carlisle was appointed guardian to Lord Byron who later lampooned him in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.

During his youth Carlisle was mentored by George Selwyn and was chiefly known as a man of pleasure and fashion. He was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1767.

After he had reached thirty years of age, his appointment on a Commission sent out by Frederick North, Lord North to attempt a reconciliation with the Thirteen Colonies during the American War of Independence was received with sneers by the opposition. The failure of the embassy was not the earl’s fault, but the Rebels not wanting to treat with England. He was, indeed, considered to have displayed so much ability that he was entrusted with the viceroyalty of Ireland in 1780.

The time was one of the greatest difficulty; for while the calm of the country was disturbed by the American rebellion, it was drained of regular troops, and large bands of volunteers not under the control of the government had been formed. Nevertheless, the two years of Carlisle’s rule passed in quiet and prosperity, and the institution of a national bank and other measures which he effected left permanently beneficial results upon the commerce of the island.

In 1789, in the discussions as to the regency, Carlisle took a prominent part on the side of the prince of Wales.

In 1791 he opposed William Pitt the Younger’s policy of resistance to the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire by Imperial Russia; but on the outbreak of the French Revolution he left the opposition and vigorously maintained the cause of war. He resigned from the Order of the Thistle and was created a Knight of the Garter in 1793. In 1815 he opposed the enactment of the Corn Laws; but from this time till his death, he took no important part in public life.

In 1798 he was one of the syndicate who bought the Orleans Collection of paintings, many of which remain in Castle Howard.

Carlisle was the author of some political tracts, a number of poems, and two tragedies:

Poems, London, 1773

The Father’s Revenge (a tragedy in five acts), London, 1783

To Sir J. Reynolds, (verses), London, 1790

A Letter to Earl FitzWilliam, London, 1795

The Crisis, London, 1798

Unite or Fall, London, 1798

The Stepmother, (a tragedy), London, 1800

The Tragedies and Poems of Frederick, Earl of Carlisle, London, 1801

Verses on the Death on Lord Nelson, London, 1806

Thoughts on the present Condition of the Stage, London, 1808

Miscellanies, London, 1820

In 1770, Frederick married Margaret Caroline Leveson-Gower. Margaret was a daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford and his wife Louisa, who was in turn daughter of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater.
They were parents to ten children: